Thirty members of the JAX Chamber's Downtown Council convened on the water Friday for an update on issues concerning Jacksonville's signature waterway from St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman.
The group, which meets for breakfast the first and third Friday each month, has a tradition of setting aside one gathering each year to board the S.S. Marine Taxi and invite the chief local river advocate along for the ride.
Rinaman said one of the issues coming up for the St. Johns is the decision soon to be made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the deepening of Jacksonville's shipping channel to 45 feet or 47 feet.
One consideration about the decision is how the project might affect the amount of seawater that enters the river, increasing the salt content of the water.
The depth of the channel isn't the only factor and statewide policies also are involved, Rinaman said.
"We will continue to have a saltier river because we're using more water," she said.
The average person uses 500 gallons of water each day, but consumption should be closer to 90 gallons to help preserve the health of the St. Johns River, she said.
Less irrigation and using more native plants in landscapes can help. So can decreasing the runoff containing nitrogen-based fertilizers, but Rinaman said the larger issue affecting the health of the St. Johns is government policy.
The state is issuing more water-use permits, despite evidence the water supply could be headed for critically low levels, she said.
The health of the springs in Central Florida is a window to the health of the river.
"Silver Springs is the canary in the coal mine. There has been a dramatic reduction in flow. It's 50 percent of what it was 30 years ago and it's highly polluted with nitrogen," Rinaman said.
The Riverkeeper supports changing Florida's environmental law to make it more protective.
"The state has no standards for nitrogen pollution. There are no triggers for enforcement, so there is no action until the damage is done. Prevention costs less than restoration," said Rinaman.
Copies of the St. Johns Riverkeeper's advocacy program, "Mission: Save the St. Johns," were distributed during the cruise. The program also is available online.
Tips include creating a river-friendly yard by using drought-tolerant plants and limiting the use of fertilizers, reducing storm water runoff that eventually ends up in the river and voting for pro-river candidates in elections of public officials.
The campaign is designed for adults and children, said Rinaman.
"Our children are the future stewards of the river. We have to make sure future generations have an environmental ethic," she said.
The Downtown Council's next scheduled meeting is 7:30 a.m. May 3 at The River Club.
Jacksonville Transportation Authority Executive Director Nathaniel Ford has been invited to speak to the group.
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